Macro Feedback

[Beauty Through a Lens]

As some of you know I am getting into macro photography. Today I did my first run at insects. I would love to get feedback on how I can improve on these images and any tips some of you may have.
More details in your answer the better!

The image is too large to post directly on this thread. You can view it here

[Stagecoach]

Adrian, exposures, compositions, DoF and colours all look good but in general the image quality looks not so good.

With the 105VR you should be able to produce images that are tack sharp (where in focus) and be able to show these at a size between 1200 to 1400 px, reducing them to a small size makes it difficult to assess them fairly.

What is noticeable is that they are all so noise free and I wonder if you have undertaken noise removal which will adversely affect sharpness.

Try setting yourself a target such as single image at 1200 px wide with the subject filling between 1/2 to a third of the frame.

I assume that you have now solved your problem of not being able to get exposures correct, can I ask how?

[DanK]

Adrian,

I agree with Grahame--it's hard to evaluate the images at a small size. You can link to much larger ones. It would also help to include the exif data, which I can get from your link. To give advice about how to change what you do, we need to know what you have done--e.g., aperture. From looking at the images, I am guessing that you had a very wide aperture because the backgrounds are so nicely blurred. that would create a very narrow DOF and would contribute to the lack of sharpness that Grahame mentioned.

In general, at close to 1:1 without tubes, you won't be able to get all of a large insect into focus, even with a really small aperture. So, it is essential to make sure that the part of the insect you want is sharp. that is usually the eyes. It also helps to keep the bug close to parallel to the sensor, in order to minimize needed DOF. Wit tubes, the problem is much worse.

With a crop sensor camera, my default settings for bugs are f/13, 1/125, with a diffused flash. Unless you are in very bright sunlight, you can't get a reasonably small aperture with a shutter speed fast enough to freeze motion. With very bright sunlight, you can manage, but unless you use a diffuser to diffuse the sunlight, you can get harsh images.

[Beauty Through a Lens]

Adrian, exposures, compositions, DoF and colours all look good but in general the image quality looks not so good.

With the 105VR you should be able to produce images that are tack sharp (where in focus) and be able to show these at a size between 1200 to 1400 px, reducing them to a small size makes it difficult to assess them fairly.

What is noticeable is that they are all so noise free and I wonder if you have undertaken noise removal which will adversely affect sharpness.

Try setting yourself a target such as single image at 1200 px wide with the subject filling between 1/2 to a third of the frame.

I assume that you have now solved your problem of not being able to get exposures correct, can I ask how?

My images will noisy to I removed the noise which may have affected to sharpness but I think it's a combination of having difficulty focusing and noise removal. I definitely see the lack of quality in the lady bug.


DOF??? I was using a 12 and 20 ex. tube on some of those and yes the aperture was wide.

[Stagecoach]

Adrian, can you post the Exif data that all these were shot at, without it it's not possible to really give a true assessment or advice with them?

[Geoff F]

They seem a bit bright to me. Exposure/saturation? Any editing? Camera settings?

I would try using a little exposure compensation during shooting and selectively tone down the background bright areas during editing. Focus seems reasonable and you often can't get everything in focus with just one shot. But as previously mentioned, full shooting details would be helpful.

[Beauty Through a Lens]

Adrian, can you post the Exif data that all these were shot at, without it it's not possible to really give a true assessment or advice with them?

I don't believe so. I deleted them off my computer. I'll see if I have them on my memory card and if so will post the details tomorrow.

[Beauty Through a Lens]

Is this the information you're looking for?? I shot them in mixture of Macro mode or Aperture. The photographs have been edited but they are single shots. Would you like me to upload to originals?

Ladybug:

Dimensions 49328 x 3264

Cropped: 1521 x 2521

Exposure: 1/200 Sec at f/8.0

Focal length: 105mm (W/ ex. tubes 12 + 20 OR 12 + 20 + 36)

ISO Speed Rating: ISO 100

Flash: Did not fire

Model: Nikon D5100

Lens: 105.0mm f/2.8


Blue Bugs Butt:

Dimensions 2854 x 1885

Cropped: 2182 x 1885

Exposure: 1/500 Sec at f/8.0

Focal length: 105mm (W/ ex. tubes 12 + 20 OR 12 + 20 + 36)

ISO Speed Rating: ISO 500

Flash: Did not fire

Model: Nikon D5100

Lens: 105.0mm f/2.8

Wasp (Facing right)

Dimensions 3951 x 2569

Cropped: 3951 x 2569

Exposure: 1/2000 Sec at f/8.0

Focal length: 105mm (W/ ex. tubes 12 + 20 OR 12 + 20 + 36)

ISO Speed Rating: ISO 800

Flash: Did not fire

Model: Nikon D5100

Lens: 105.0mm f/2.8

[Geoff F]

F8 is a bit wide for macro work but not way out. I normally work between F11 and F16. Iso 800 is a little on the high side but once again not far out. I usually try to avoid going above 400 but in most circumstances 800 should still be acceptable.

For shutter speed, I like to be somewhere around 1/250 and not less than 1/125 unless it is a completely static subject and I'm using a tripod.

A straight from camera example would be helpful. Possibly the last image; the Digger Wasp.

Also, what 'in camera' adjustments are being made automatically. Any saturation or other 'special effects' including auto sharpening? I always shoot Raw or on those very rare occasions when using Jpeg I set the camera to no adjustments natural mode.

Shooting in Aperture Mode should give you sufficient personal adjustments to suit most scenes. Macro Mode sounds good but you are letting the camera make auto adjustments which may not be the best for your actual conditions.

[Beauty Through a Lens]

F8 is a bit wide for macro work but not way out. I normally work between F11 and F16. Iso 800 is a little on the high side but once again not far out. I usually try to avoid going above 400 but in most circumstances 800 should still be acceptable.

For shutter speed, I like to be somewhere around 1/250 and not less than 1/125 unless it is a completely static subject and I'm using a tripod.

A straight from camera example would be helpful. Possibly the last image; the Digger Wasp.

Also, what 'in camera' adjustments are being made automatically. Any saturation or other 'special effects' including auto sharpening? I always shoot Raw or on those very rare occasions when using Jpeg I set the camera to no adjustments natural mode.

Shooting in Aperture Mode should give you sufficient personal adjustments to suit most scenes. Macro Mode sounds good but you are letting the camera make auto adjustments which may not be the best for your actual conditions.

I'm not using in camera adjustments. I do it all after the fact. Thanks for the tips.

[Brev00]

I like the fly eye the best. I would really like to see the image pretty much straight out of camera. If shot raw, with just default raw processing and no sharpening, noise reduction, or cropping. Instead of asking if you did this or that to the image, it might be more straightforward just to see the original. My first impression is that the colors are too strong but you could be using a vivid picture control and saturation to your taste. With raw, that is easy to adjust but distracting as it is.

[Stagecoach]

Is this the information you're looking for?? I shot them in mixture of Macro mode or Aperture. The photographs have been edited but they are single shots. Would you like me to upload to originals?

Hi Adrian,

I have had another look at these with an attempt to further assess them but not knowing what PP has been done it's very difficult. The speeds you have shot these at should be fine but the higher ISO's of some, I would certainly not use (to get a keeper) but I do not know the ISO capability of your camera. But with a higher ISO results are also dependent upon your exposure and how much you crop so there's no straightforward rule.

What is noticeable is that you have shot all of these at f/8 which is going to give you a 'very' narrow DoF and even worse when you are using tubes for the added magnification. I do not know if you are aware but Nikon's display 'effective' aperture and this becomes significant with your 105mm macro, Canon's do not. So when a Canon owner states that they usually shoot at f/11 that exactly same physical size aperture (on the equivalent Canon 100mm macro lens) would be indicated on your Nikon as f/22.

Of the four images posted the first three contain the Exif but not the last two. Not sure what PP software and upload method you are using but most can be configured to include the Exif automatically, saves a lot of typing.

Perhaps the best way forward is to post the originals, uncropped, just downsized to 1200px width if you want further feedback.